J. Environ. Sci. & Natural Resources, 6(1): 123 - 129, 2013 ISSN 1999-7361 Effectiveness of Social Safety Net Programs on Community Resilience to Hazard Vulnerable Population in Bangladesh R. Hassan1, M. S. Islam1, ASM Saifullah1 and M. Islam2 1Department of Environmental Science and Resource Management, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh 2NRC Secondee to FAO Ethiopia, P.O. Box 5536, CMC Road Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Abstract: A number of Social Safety Net Programs (SSNPs) are the measures taken by the government of Bangladesh in order to reduce the portion of its population vulnerability to natural disaster. Bangladesh has a comprehensive portfolio of both food, cash and income generating technology based SSNPs. This study assessed the current status of SSNPs and its effectiveness in Bagerhat (cyclone and coastal flood prone) and Gaibandha (river flood prone) districts. Specially, the study depicted SSNPs within the view of natural hazards (climatic change impacts shocks, floods, cyclones and storm surges, flash floods, drought, tornadoes and landslides). This study showed that the organizational performance in the delivery of SSNPs as well as its technical guidance provided to task teams and program managers for identifying indicators of governance and service quality in the targeted SSNPs programs. This study identified that the governance issues along the results chain of service delivery and suggested policy and performance indicators for assessing the program had a significant impact of the outcome of the SSNPs. Key word: Climate risk reduction, Disaster management, Food security Introduction agriculture (Stern et al., 2006). People exposed to the Climate change presents a one of classic earth and most severe natural hazards are often those least able natural system challenges. The dynamics of the to cope with the associated impacts, due to their climate are extremely complex and imperfectly limited adaptive capacity. This in turn poses multiple understood. There is growing evidence that climate threats to economic growth, wider poverty reduction, change is increasing the frequency and intensity of and the achievement of the Millennium Development climate-related natural hazards and turned to serve Goals (MDGs). Within this context, there is growing disaster like floods, cyclones and storm surges, flash recognition of the potential role of social protection as floods, drought, tornadoes, and landslides, and hence a response to the multiple risks and short and long- the level and patterns of often inter-related risks, term shocks and stresses associated with climate aggravating levels of vulnerability for poor and change (Stern et al., 2006). Stern (2008) argues that excluded people (Tanner and Mitchell, 2007; Rahman social protection could become one of the priority and Chowdhury, 1998). A number of developing sectors for adaptation in developing countries. To countries (i.e. Bangladesh, Myanmar, Honduras, date however, little is known about the linkages and Kenya, etc.) are especially vulnerable to climate value of social protection for adaptation in practice change induced natural hazards because of their though this has been introduced in those countries a geographic exposure, low incomes and greater long before (Subbarao and Ninno, 2005). reliance on climate sensitive sectors, particularly Table 1. Natural disasters affecting Bangladesh (Ahmad, 2003) Type of disaster Areas affected Impacts Floods Floodplains of the Brahmaputra- Loss of agricultural and livestock production, Jamuna, the Ganges-Padma and the disruption of communication and livelihood systems, Meghna river systems. injury and death, damage and destruction to infrastructure, disruption in essential services, national economic loss, and biodiversity loss. Cyclone and Coastal areas and offshore islands. Loss of agricultural and livestock production, Storm surges disruption of communication and livelihood systems, injury and death, damage and destruction to infrastructure, disruption in essential services, national economic loss, and biodiversity loss. Drought Almost all areas, especially the Loss of agricultural and livestock production, stress northwest region of the country. on national economy and disruption in livelihoods. Erosion Banks of the Brahmaputra-Jamuna, Loss of land, displacement of human populations and the Ganges-Padma and the Meghna livestock, production and livestock losses. river systems. 123 J. Environ. Sci. & Natural Resources, 6(1): 123- 129, 2013 ISSN 1999-7361 Bangladesh is extremely prone to natural disasters amounts to 12.08% of the total public expenditure of and these disasters are linked with the lives and the year, which is 1.8% of the national GDP. livelihoods of people of the country. The typical set All these attempts as well as expenditure would be of natural disasters includes inter alia floods, cyclones wastes if the SSNPs would not carry in an effective and storm surges, flash floods, drought, tornado, and way. It is essential to assess the level of effectiveness landslides. A typology of key disasters that afflict of those attempts taken for disaster risk reduction for Bangladesh is depicted in the paper (Table 1). For safeguarding the future well-being of our country. example, in the 1990s alone, four major cyclonic The paper focuses on the effectiveness of the existing events happened in Bangladesh in 1991, 1994, 1995, SSNPs of Mongla upazila (sub-district) including two 1997 and especially more severe Sidr and Ayla unions (small administrative unit of public service) (Tropical cyclone) leading to large agricultural and Chadpi and Chila in the Bagerhat district and livestock, human losses which leaded to a great Gobindagonj upazila (including two unions economic damage in every sector of the country. Rakhalburuz and Harirampur) of the Gaibandha Similarly, the 1998 floods led to over a two million district. The social protection, disaster risk reduction ton shortfall in rice production 10% of the projected and climate change adaptation have much in common output for 1998/99 (Dorosh et al., 2004). These in terms of measures and broad objectives. They all changes are threatening the significant achievements seek to take integrated, multi-sectoral approaches to Bangladesh has made over the last 20 years in mitigate risks faced by poor people. They tackle the increasing incomes and reducing poverty and will impact of, and seek to make individuals, communities make it more difficult to achieve the MDGs. To cope and societies more resilient and less vulnerable to with the extreme climatic events, over the last 35 shocks and stresses (Alam and Rahman, 2008). The years, the Government of Bangladesh has invested SSNPs in Bangladesh, like elsewhere in the world, over $10 billion to make the country less vulnerable have two basic objectives: protecting individuals from to such destructive phenomena. These investments, in falling into poverty beyond a certain level through many cases supported by development partners, redistribution and copping with natural calamities. include flood management schemes, coastal polders, cyclone and flood shelters, and the rising of roads and However the country will have to find better means of highways above flood level and various other SSNPs. targeting, measuring governance and service delivery (Bartlett, 2008). Such realization will lead to the In addition, the Government of Bangladesh has improvement of the total approach, emergence of new developed state-of-the-art warning systems for floods, and sophisticated programs and abandonment of cyclones and storm surges, and is expanding programs. The objective of the study was to assess the community based disaster preparedness (Dorosh et effectiveness of the SSNPs taken by the public al., 2004). Bangladesh bears serious consequences service departments in those selected study areas in from natural calamities, the poorest segment being the terms of target population, selection of programs, worst victim. In 2007, the country faced two floods physical coverage of the approaches, administering and a devastating cyclone. During the disaster bodies and gross and net benefits of the taken affected years, the expenditure on safety nets initiatives. regarding such shocks usually exceeds the initial allocation. Safety net for the Fiscal Year 2008 keeps Materials and Methods BDT. 1505 corer for disaster related activities, which is about 18% of the total. Major programs include Study area Vulnerable Group Development (VGD), Vulnerable The study was carried out in two cyclone prone Group Feeding (VGF), Test Relief (TR), Immediate unions (Chadpi and Chila) of Mongla upazila in the Disaster Fund (IDF) and Gratuitous Relief (GR) Bagerhat district and in the two flood prone unions programs that are targeted to provide direct and (Rakhalburuz and Harirampur) of Gobindagonj immediate support to disaster victims (Hossain and upazila in the Gaibandha district of Bangladesh (Figs. Osman, 2007). In case of Bangladesh, in monetary 1 and 2). In Bagerhat district, the study was terms, extent of SSNPs is gradually increasing over conducted at Chadpai and Chila union council. The the years. However, in terms of share of public Chadpai union council has a boundary of Mongla expenditure, investment on safety nets has been river, Mongla port and Municipality in the north, falling since 1998/99, against the increasing number Chila union in the south, Mitha Khali union in the east and Poshur river in the west. The total area of the